Rakuten will test drone delivery on golf course after investing in Japanese drone firm

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Japan’s Rakuten is joining e-commerce giants Amazon and Alibaba with a foray into drones. The Tokyo-based company, Japan’s largest online commerce firm, this week revealed its investment in a drone maker and plans to begin field trials in an unlucky setting… the golf course.

Rakuten has taken a 20 percent stake in ACSL but the price that it paid isn’t clear — the company declined to tell us when we asked. It did say, however, that the two sides will “work together while capitalizing on their respective strengths in the utilization of industrial drones, in order to deliver innovation to society with technologies and services originating in Japan.”

But that first test will happen at a place that is far from an industrial setting. NHK reports that, from May, Rakuten and ACSL will pilot a service that brings refreshment, balls and more to golfers at a course in Chiba. The concept is simple: golfers can order drinks, snacks or other items via a smartphone app, with the items then sent over from the clubhouse via a drone.

Rakuten’s interest in drone tech comes after the firm announced a new strategy focused on growth areas of its business. As part of that program, Rakuten shuttered its e-commerce marketplaces in Southeast Asia and wrote down more than $300 million in assets held worldwide.

Featured Image: ACSL

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Crunchbase

OverviewRakuten is a tech company that offers electronic commerce solutions in Japan and internationally. The company operates in three segments such as internet services, finance services, and others.
The internet services segment comprises businesses running various e-commerce sites, including Rakuten Ichiba, an internet shopping mall; travel booking sites; portal sites; and e-book businesses as well …